Wind Spirit

Small Sylph from Pope's The Rape of the Lock

The sylphide is a concept introduced by English poet Alexander Pope in his satirical poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), referring to small or young sylphs. Depicted as tiny winged spirits like butterflies or dragonflies, they are mischievous and curious. Through the Romantic ballet La Sylphide (1832), the sylphide became an iconic ballet character, inspiring works alongside Swan Lake. As an embodiment of grace and ephemeral beauty, the sylphide left a lasting mark on European art history.

Air Spirit from Shakespeare's The Tempest

Ariel is an airy spirit from Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611). Faithful servant to the magician Prospero, Ariel commands invisible storms, illusions, and music. Originally trapped in a pine tree by the witch Sycorax, freed by Prospero whom Ariel serves for twelve years in exchange for liberty. The spirit's final release symbolizes the eternal longing for freedom and has become a defining name for 'air spirit' in fantasy.

Air Spirit of Paracelsus

The sylph is the air elemental in Paracelsus's four-element classification, named with inspiration from Greek 'sylphē' (butterfly). Described as free-spirited, light humanoid spirits, they gained literary fame in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock (1712), which posited that female souls become sylphs after death. The ballet La Sylphide (1832) and other Romantic works established the elegant air-spirit image, making sylphs the most familiar air spirits in modern fantasy.